I’m having trouble with a design library part that I’ve been working on for a couple days. I just started introducing myself to the design library as a productivity increasing tool, and I see plenty of potential in it. I work for a company that has hundreds of different proprietary tapered (and non-tapered) threads. My boss likes to see these threads modeled in detail to provide to customers, and this gets rather tedious and can be time consuming when it is needed on short notice. I have managed to get one of our threads to work as a library feature and planned on adding configurations to it. I’ve zipped the library file and attached it, and I need help with Cut-Revolve2, which terminates the thread. This library feature works magically as long as I’m using it on the end of the tube that’s coincident to the right plane. If I try to place it at the opposite end of the tube, the revolution axis of the cut flips to the opposite side of where it’s dimensioned. This makes the profile cut through the part toward the O.D. instead of toward the I.D. Should I perform this cut as a sweep around a circular path?
Attachment – 2009_11_4_16_8
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Michael
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Michael
So far loving 2010, but I have a question. Is there a way to stop SWx 2010 from automatically adding the diameter symbol to dimensions in a section view? We don’t go by any strict standards, and have never used the symbol in section views as most of our parts are tubing (diameter is pretty much a given). I’d like to disable this feature. Any way to do it?
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Chris Serran
I still don’t have 2010 installed yet, but if it adds it by default there may be less hassle in keeping it than trying to remove it.
You may be able to setup a dimension favourite or there may be an option in the document properties.
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Michael
Is it possible to import virtual sharps from my model sketches into a drawing file?
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CBL
As far as I know, that can only be done by setting the model sketch (in the drawing view) to “Show”.
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Michael
I have experimented with this before, but whenever I choose to show the sketch in the drawing view, nothing happens. I don’t see anything appear differently than before. This would be helpful as about 90% of my drawings consist only of a section view of a drilling pipe that is usually threaded on both ends. I always have to manually add the hidden lines showing the minor diameter threads on EVERY drawing, as well as the virtual sharps which are created on some parts with a radius on either end. Not a big hassle, but productivity is a plus in any situation =)
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CBL
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CBL
Try the attachment again.Attachment – cosmetic-threads
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Michael
I’ve been having this problem for awhile now. Never really thought about bringing it up here, but it’s finally starting to annoy me.
After entering custom properties in a drawing file using the task pane, the next dimension I click on will appear in the last text box I typed in inside the task pane. I know this isn’t a big deal, but printing out a drawing and then seeing that your new material is 8.150AISI-4130 is pretty annoying. Normally I don’t click dimensions after entering info, but if I need to make a change this ALWAYS happens. Is there a fix?
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CBL
Does this happen if the Task Pane is closed? Or if the Custom Properties tab is not active?
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Michael
I knew it would happen if the task pane was closed. However I tested whether or not it would happen if I selected another tab after entering the information and that fixed the problem =) I’ll just have to remember to go to a different tab after I’m done. Thanks!
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Michael
Is it possible to change the custom properties of multiple drawing files at the same time? If so, how can I do this?
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Ben
I use an application that I purchased separately called Custom Property Propagator http://customsolids.com/
You can do this other ways with SW but I still prefer the Propagator for its ease of use -
Michael
Will this work with the properties I create in the property tab builder?
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Ben
It should regardless of where you created them they are still properties
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Jason Corl
Ben and Michael, can you tell me why you use this…under what situations is it useful? We seem to never have to update properties of multiple parts to be the same etc.
Thanks,
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Michael
I just started work @ a company that has only been putting drawings into electronic format for about 2 years. The previous draftsman didn’t use custom properties at all and was very disorganized in his file management, making it very difficult for me to find anything he produced. So while I’m not busy, I add part numbers, file numbers, etc. to the older drawings. All original prints are kept in our shop office and there are a total of 187 different file numbers. Some files contain 1 drawing, some files contain hundreds of drawings. So I run into a problem assigning the same file number to hundreds of different drawings. However, I don’t see it as useful to purchase a $50 program to help me do this, because I would likely finish in 1-2 days. So, I’m still on the fence here =)
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Jason Corl
Hey Michael, as Ben talked about “other ways” to do this. here are some links to check out that where you should be able to find tools to help you in your situation.
http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php?name=UpDownload
http://www.lennyworks.com/solidworks/
http://www.3dcontentcentral.com/macros.aspxThese are two of the best sites I’ve found when I needed a macro…or just wanted to play with my big-kid toy called SolidWorks…
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Jason Corl
I posted this once but seems to have gotten lost as it did not appear…so…repost (thanks to Lazarus form recovery FF addin)
Hey Michael, as Ben talked about “other ways” to do this. here are some links to check out that where you should be able to find tools to help you in your situation.
http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php?name=UpDownload
http://www.lennyworks.com/solidworks/
http://www.3dcontentcentral.com/macros.aspxThese are two of the best sites I’ve found when I needed a macro…or just wanted to play with my big-kid toy called SolidWorks…
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Ben
I use this mainly with being able to change out sheet formats in drawings. It also handles custom properties really well. Anyhow with the drawing formats I have done 2000+ drawings in less than an hour. BRILLIANT! Why SW has not done this themselves is beyond me…
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gol10dr
Can do it with Task Scheduler as well.
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Michael
I am currently working on organizing the CAD drawings on my company’s server. While roaming about Google, I found a link (http://rocksolidperspective.com/2008/08/05/solidworks-2009-preview-custom-properties-tab/) and here it is mentioned in the second paragraph that it’s possible to assign custom properties to multiple parts at the same time. Can someone tell me how to do this? It would speed up my workflow immensely as I have to assign the same file number to hundreds of categorized groups with anywhere from 10 to hundreds of parts in each file. Opening up each drawing file individually to do this is a little time consuming.
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jaraak
Michael,
In your assembly feature tree, all you need to do is control select the parts that you would like to add common properties to and then open your custom properties tab and insert the properties. Let me know if you would like more detail and I can do another post about it.
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Chris Serran
You may want to also check out the Custom Property Propagator, http://www.customsolids.com/Propa-Gator.htm.
I use it quite often when copying projects and need to change custom properties. Well worth the money, imo. -
CBL
Here’s a few utilities/macros that may help
http://eng-tips.com/faqs.cfm?fid=1429
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Michael
I have began using the ability to import model dimensions into my drawings. I work for a company that manufactures drilling pipe, so most of my modeling is done with a profile revolved around a centerline. I usually dimension to the centerline and divide the diameter by 2, but I know that I can also dimension to the centerline, move the pointer to the other side and dimension the diameter without having to divide. The problem with this is that all of the dimensions done that way have the diameter symbol in front of them, which is unnecessary for my drawings. Is there any way to stop the symbol from being added to those dimensions?
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MarkKaiser
Look up dimension favorites (might be called styles in 09). You can make a favorite that only includes (without the ). Insert your dimension, then in the dimension property manager, change the favorite/style to what you need. Still an extra step, but perhaps better than deleting the every time.
I don’t know how to remove it automatically.
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MarkKaiser
Well, I see my message doesn’t make any sense, I’ll try and fix it. Where you see (( )) below, it is supposed to be the ‘pointy’ brackets SW uses around the variables DIM and MOD-DIA in dimensions.
Look up dimension favorites (might be called styles in 09). You can make a favorite that only includes ((DIM)) (without the ((MOD-DIAM)) ). Insert your dimension, then in the dimension property manager, change the favorite/style to what you need. Still an extra step, but perhaps better than deleting the every time.
I don’t know how to remove it automatically.
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Michael
Is it possible to assign shortcuts to my extra mouse buttons? For example, I would like to assign the shortcut bar to the mouse button close to my thumb. I’ve noticed in the shortcut menu that all of them use the keyboard and the shortcuts for the middle mouse button for pan, rotate, and zoom aren’t even listed. I am using Windows XP Pro, SW 2009 SP3 and a Logitech MX3200 mouse. I do NOT use SetPoint because, for some reason, it causes the middle mouse button to become useless in SW.
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Ezra
This can be handled buy the mouse drivers generally. Problem is that SolidWorks and Logitec amoung other mouse drivers rarely play well with each other. Here are some mouse related topics I have found online
http://www.solidsmack.com/16-solidworks-tips-to-make-the-s-key-work-for-you/2008-12-30/
http://www.eng-tips.com/faqs.cfm?fid=1209
http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php?name=FAQ&id_cat=4
http://www.moderntechmech.com/support/5tips/mouse_option.html
http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/tips_mouse.htmI know these are not much help to your question but still might be of help to others I am going to experiment with my mouse at home to see If I can map the buttons.
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Brian
Most all mouse driver software will have to be tweaked to get the middle mouse button working in SolidWorks. Just go into your mouse configuration and set the middle mouse button to be “middle mouse button”. Then you can customize all the other buttons.
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Michael
I am trying to sweep-cut a profile along a path but it keeps failing due to self-intersection. I’m pretty new to SW and haven’t figured out the workarounds for doing more complicated sweeps like this. Could anyone help me out with acheiving the end result of this swept cut?
Attachment – 2009_6_22_12_42-
bhughesnles
Sometimes, it’s helpful to attemp a Sweep-Cut as a Sweep and NOT merge the result. If this works, you can normally do a Subtract with Combine feature. If it doesn’t work, shorten your path and find out where it’s ‘self-intersecting’. (ie. Cut half the path… still doesn’t work, cut around the first corner, first two corners…, etc..) You’re likely running into issues where the path goes up instead of around.
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CBL
You need to increase the .6875″ radii to at least 1″ to prevent the self intersection.
Or modify both the .500″ profile dimension and the .6875″ radii in combination to achieve an acceptable result. -
superpilun
You can accomplish what you want with those dimensions by using surfacing. Some people, including me, consider surfacing a means to accomplish what s.w. isn’t smart enough to do with solid tools. See attached.Attachment – 1075-side-swivel-cover-pathprof-pilun
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Michael
Hello admin. I’m a recent CAD graduate who learned 3D using Inventor, but I am now working for a firm using SolidWorks. I’ve been here for about a month and I’m loving SolidWorks. One thing that is confusing me is the use of the custom properties and property tab builder in SW2009. On Ricky Jordan’s blog, he showed use of them and how you could type information in the title block of a drawing that would propagate to the custom properties of the model used in the drawing. This would be a great help to me while organizing all of the parts and drawings in preparation to implement PDMWorks. How can I link these title block fields to the custom properties of the model? I have made property sheets in the tab builder, but have been unsuccessful at using them for anything other than a quick way to type in some information about the part/drawing.
CBL 7:34 pm on November 4, 2009 Permalink
Your attachment is empty.
Michael 7:54 am on November 5, 2009 Permalink
Sorry about that. Here’s a good one =)Attachment – 300-2-start-box